November 26, 2017

When we think of a leader or a king, we usually think first of their requirement of loyalty. Our human history is filled with accounts of this first and primary demand of monarchs and rulers.

Yet, when Jesus speaks today of the final judgement by the Lord of heaven and earth, his first requirement is that of service, especially service to the poor and the needy and the outcast! It is by our service to the people and the poor ones of God that we present the reality of our own faith in and loyalty to the Lord!

This is the one test of our discipleship that will be put to us in the end — have we served God by generously serving others in their times of need.

May we take today’s teaching seriously each and every day, and may our service of the Lord’s lowly ones be proof of our devotion to God and our service of the very reign and Kingdom of the Almighty. May God bless you now and in the new Church Year!

— Father Jim Torquato

ADVENT BY CANDLELIGHT—SAVE THE DATE

On Thursday, November 30, at 7:00pm, our Aquinas Guild will host its Advent by Candlelight. All women are invited to this evening of music, prayer . . . and dessert! Prelude music at 6:45pm.Prayer at 7pm. A dessert reception will follow. A $10 donation will be accepted at the door. RSVP by Monday, Nov. 27, to Joanne Saunders here or by phone at 412-963-8319.

CHRISTMAS DISCERNMENT RETREAT

Young men considering a vocation to the ordained priesthood are welcome to a December 15-17 Christmas Discernment Retreat sponsored by the Diocesan Vocations Office at the Saint Paul of the Cross Retreat Center on the South Side. Participants must be 18 years or older. College students and college graduates are encouraged to attend. There is NO cost for this retreat weekend. Please visit www.PGHPriest.com to register by December 8.

COMING TO THE SEASON OF ADVENT

Next weekend, December 2-3, we’ll come to the Season of Advent, the beginning of the new Church Year 2018, and the start of our annual year long celebration of the life of Jesus and of the Catholic Christian faith. In this new year, we will use the Gospel according to Mark, the oldest and first of the four New Testament Gospels. Come, Lord Jesus!

DECEMBER 13 EVENING OF RECONCILIATION

On Wednesday, December 13, from 6:00-9:00pm, all churches of our Diocese will again have three hours of Reconciliation available to all Catholics, especially those who’ve been away for years. Join us!

OUR ADVENT & CHRISTMAS GIVING TREE

During this weekend of November 25-26, we’re beginning our annual Christmas Giving Tree project to provide Christmas gifts for children and infants who families are in need. There will be ornaments requesting gifts of clothing and toys for local children. There will also be ornaments requesting a donation for our parish efforts in Haiti, or a donation for the Diocesan Maternity Hospital in Chimbote, Peru, or a donation for the parish social service efforts, or a donation for the work of the local Saint Vincent de Paul Society.

For many years, our parish members and families have been so very generous to those in need at Christmas. Thank you in advance for your generosity once again in the year’s Christmas Giving Tree project. Please plan to take one or more ornaments, and then return your donations to the church during December 9-10 so that we can share your gifts with others. Thank you all very much!

OUR SUNDAY ATTENDANCE

Every year, Diocesan officials ask us to count the number of parish members who participate in each Sunday (and Saturday evening) Liturgy. In fact, we’ve been asked to take this count from now until next Easter as we begin to plan the Liturgy schedule for our newly combined parish grouping in October 2018.

This October, our Sunday attendance was between 540—600 persons on any given Sunday.Our Church has 530+ seats. This means that ONE LITURGY would almost meet the Liturgical needs of our parish community at this time. Don’t worry though. We will continue to have FOUR weekend Liturgies until next October. However, next October, every parish in the Diocese will see its schedule significantly reduced so that Liturgies will have fewer empty seats and more members praying together at every Mass.

Again, thanks for your support of our parish and the Diocese and the whole Church as we work together with the Lord to keep the Church Alive!

In March 2018, priests will be assigned to begin in October 2018.In October 2018, the Liturgy Schedule of each church will be changed to 1-2 Liturgies per church. Each parish grouping will have 6-7 Liturgies in total.

The final consolidation is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021. Our Diocese is doing our best given our decline in population, participation, donations, and clergy. Thanks for your support of On Mission for the Church Alive!

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND YOUTH MINISTRY EVENTS IN DECEMBER

On Sunday, December 17, at the 9:00am Liturgy, our parish will host a Family Ministry Event for the families and children of our four local merging parishes.

Initiated by our Religious Education staff, these monthly events are being held as a way to introduce families of our four parish communities to one another as we prepare to become members of one unified parish community in the coming years!

We will begin with a Liturgy for families and children at 9:00am and then continue with a catechetical event in the parish hall for families.

Please mark your calendar for December 17 and the 9:00am Liturgy, and join us for our local Family Ministry Event in Advent!

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP AND GENEROSITY

Many thanks are extended to all our parish members and families who generously helped with the local Thanksgiving in the Streets program as well as the Million Meals effort at the David Lawrence Convention Center this past Friday.

Both programs gave assistance to families and individuals in our local area and throughout Allegheny County. May you know the goodness and gratitude of the Lord, and may you also know that gratitude of all those whom you’ve helped by your generosity!

Thank you for helping us to clean up our church before and after each weekend Liturgy. We’re very grateful that you care for your church property!

Young Adults are welcome to make the Pilgrimage of a lifetime!Next May 26—June 9, 2018, young Catholic adults in your 20’s and 30’s (and in good health) are welcome to walk along the Camino de Santiago (Saint James’ Way) in northern Spain. With just your boots and a backpack, you’ll walk with many pilgrims along the 200+ mile route to the Shrine of Santiago de Compostela. Pilgrims have been making this amazing walk for many centuries. Visit www.creatio.org/causes/pittsburgh-camino today!

CURIOUS ABOUT CATHOLIC CHRISTIANITY?

If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a Catholic Christian, then you (or they) are invited to come and explore your questions and your interest. Please email Mr. Andy Bechman here or call him at 412-781-2767, ext. 18.

LATE NIGHT CATECHISM 2 PERFORMANCE

On Saturday, December 2, at 7:00pm, Saint Joseph Parish, Dorseyville Road, in O’Hara Township, will host a presentation of "Late Night Catechism 2: The Magi’s Gold." Tickets are $30 each. You may also reserve seats at a 5:30pm dinner for an additional $17.50 per person. Proceeds benefit the McGuire Memorial Home in Beaver County. Call 412-508-5383 for information and tickets.

DONATING COOKIES AND BAKED GOODS TO SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL IN DECEMBER

All our parish bakers are welcome to contribute homemade cookies and baked goods to the Aquinas Guild cookie collection in December! Plan now to increase the amount of your baking in December, and all your extra items will be welcome here at the parish hall on December 9-10 so they can be delivered to families assisted at Christmas by our local St. Vincent de Paul Society. Thank you all very much!

HELPING OUR LOCAL SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL

The Aquinas Guild appreciates your donations to help the local St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry.

In December, your donations of canned soups, stews, and sloppy joe mixare most welcome along with any non-perishable items. Please place donations in the red bin in our church’s main entrance.

VICTIM’S DIOCESAN ASSISTANCE HOTLINE

Our Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh offers a toll-free

hotline for anyone needing to report abuse. The Confidential Abuse Hotline is 1-888-808-1235.

Larger donations in bags (NOT boxes) and ALL clothing may be brought to the SIDE DOOR of 316 3rd Street, Aspinwall, from 10am-12pm on Mondays and Fridays. Please do NOT leave any donations outside 316 or 318 Third Street. Thank you!

BULLETIN SPONSOR OF THE WEEK

Our thanks go to theFrank B. Fuhrer Wholesale Company, East Carson Streetfor being a bulletin sponsor. Please see their bulletin advertisement for location and contact information.

HAVING A GREAT YEAR AT CDTCA!

Thanks be to the Lord, our regional Catholic

elementary school is having another very good year! Our students are all making progress in their education, and our academic programs are among the finest. In addition, our mathematics, science, and technology courses are excellent. Likewise, our music and arts programs, our sports teams, and our other extracurricular and community programs help to provide a very fine education and formation for all our students!

If you’d like to include your child/ren and family in our CDTCA community in 2018, please contact Mrs. Katie Lovett now and we’ll begin your introduction to Christ the Divine Teacher Catholic Academy, the Catholic elementary school for our local region!

OUR DECEMBER 2 CHRISTMAS SHOPPING FAIR AND GINGERBREAD WORKSHOP

On Saturday, December 2, our CDTCA school PTG will have two sessions of their popular new Gingerbread Workshop at 10:00am and then again at 2:00pm in the school cafeteria. Register NOW. The donation is $25 for the initial Gingerbread kit.

Also, in the parish gymnasium that Saturday, there will be a Christmas craft and vendor show as well as a visit and photos with Santa Claus!

Come enjoy the Gingerbread House Workshop and/or the Christmas Craft and Vendor Show in the gym. See the bulletin insert for more information!

To receive the Pittsburgh Catholic newspaper at homeORa copy of the Sunday bulletin for the homebound, please contact our parish office now!

Jesus is our Lord and King! Each and every day, public attention is given to the many leaders and celebrities of our nation and of the world who make the news. We usually pay too much attention to these individuals. As we give our devotion to the Lord Jesus today, may we do so every day. May we make Jesus the most important person in our lives and in our world each day!

Our Saint Scholastica Parish
Mission is to continue the work of Christ together as a faith community,
through the celebration of the Sacraments, living spiritually in the world, and
working to be caring members of the community. As committed Catholics, we are sent to bear
the Light of Christ to transform the world by our devotion, service and
witness.